Are you a PhD student thinking about life outside of academia? Do you want to explore alternative career ideas?
On Saturday, May 7th, The University of Pennsylvania's Department of Religious Studies presents, "Alternative Careers for PhDs in the Humanities & Social Sciences" from 3:00-5:30PM in the Cohen Hall Terrace room.
This 3 paneled presentation will include two PhDs who have chosen a non-teaching career path in areas of curatorship, foundations, and consulting & writing:
Curatorship: Dr. Catharine Allgor (The Huntington) & Dr. Beth Citron (The Rubin Museum)
Foundations: Dr. Nadina Gardner (The National Endowment for the Humanities) & Dr. John Paul Christy (The American Council of Learned Societies)
Consulting & Writing: Dr. Jason Wilson (The Guardian) & Dr. David Engel (Wells Fargo Advisors)
RSVP: kastoler@upenn.edu Questions: 215-898-7453

RELS164 - History, Culture, and Religion in Early India

This course surveys the culture, religion and history of India from 2500 BCE to 1200 CE. The course examines the major cultural, religious and social factors that shaped the course of early Indian history. The following themes will be covered: the rise and fall of Harappan civilization, the Aryan invasion and vedic India, the rise of cities, states and the religions of Buddhism and Jainism, the historical context of the growth of classical Hinduism, including the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the development of the theistic temple cults of Saivism and Vaisnavism, processes of medieval agrarian expansion and cultic incorporation as well as the spread of early Indian cultural ideas in Southeast Asia. In addition to assigned secondary readings students will read select primary sources on the history religion and culture of early India, including Vedic and Buddhist texts, Puranas and medieval temple inscriptions. Major objectives of the course will be to draw attention to India's early cultural and religious past and to assess contemporary concerns and ideologies in influencing our understanding and representation of that past.